Mail-box



E. HACK.

MAI L BOX. APPLICATION FILED APR. I8. U17.

Patented J My 22, 1919.

[mes JZac if 4A NW} 0 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,, WASHINGTON, D C'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ERNEST HACK, O F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEST HA K, acitizen ofthe United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is'a specification,reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates. to mail-boxes and refers more particularly to acombined mailbox, speaking-tube and signalingdevice for use inhouses,apartments or other buildings.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a mail-box or systemof mailboxes which are controlled by a lock having a master key and anindividual key so that access to all of the mail-boxes can be obtainedby the mail carrier having the master key, but the only other person whocan open r the box is the owner having the individual key; to provide aconstructionin whichwhen mail is inserted in the box .it willautomatically show a red light or other signal and preferably there iscombined with this signal, an electrically-controlled signal at adistant point whereby the operator by turning a test button candetermine whether or not there is any mail in the box; to so constructand arrange the system that the device for i indicating whether or notthere is any mail in thebox can be positioned in any room or ro msdesired; to provide a construction havinga compartment for stamps, coinsor the like, wherebyfthe mail-man can supply the stamps and make hisownchange; to provide a construction in which the working mechanisms aremostly concealed within a chamber in thedoor of the box; to rovide aspeaking-tube so combined with t e box" as to utilize the latter as aportion of the speaking-tube or sound-transmitting mechanism; and ingeneralto provide a new i and improved construction of the characterabove referred to'. 7 I p .;.'The invention also resides in such fea-,tures of construction and various arrangements and combinations ofparts as will more fully hereinafter appear. y

,In' the drawings; 4 r y V Figure 1 is a diagramatic view showing 1 I: asystem embodying my invention;

;Fig. 2 is a view of the box showing the door in open position; 7

Fig. 3 is a similar view showin the inner cover-plate for thedoor'remove Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed April 18, 1917. Serial No. 163,058.

'Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the box and part of the othermechanisms.

F 1gs.5 and 6 are detail sectional views showlng posltions occupied by aspring pressed arm corresponding to closed and opened positions of themail box door.

Describing in detail the particular embodiment of my invention, Adesignates a mail-box having a cover B hinged thereto at O and providedwith alocking' mechanism D by means of which the coveris locked inposition to the main body-portion A of the mail-box. The cover B isprovided with a detachable back plate B between which and the cover achamber B is formed" as is best seen in Fig. 4; said chamber receivingmechanism presently to be described. Said plate hasan opening B thereinthrough which mail inserted through the slot K in the cover B passesinto the body portion of the box. An inclined tongue B bent forwardlyfrom the lower edge of the opening B sup ports'the mail in passing fromthe slot K to the opening B f It will be noticed that the cover lockingmechanismD comprises coeperating locks E and E which are actuatedby keysE and E respectively. The use of a double key arrangementpermits the boxto be opened e ther by the owner who retains the indivldual key E or bythe mail-man wli'o carries a master key adapted to unlock all of i i theboxes on his route. The cover B is also provided with a mouth-piece Fwhile at the back of the box there is connected a speakingtubeF leadingup to the corresponding mouth-piece and receiver F It will be noticedthat while the mouth-piece F is located at the front of the mail-box,the speaking-tube is simply connected into the back of the box and thuspermits utilizing the mailbox as a portion of the speaking-tube andgreatly simplifies the manufacture and as sembl-ing of the device.

The present-invention also contemplates a novel arrangement of partswhereby the mail-box has means for automatically showing a red light orother signal to notify the 'can'be determined whether or not there isanything in the box. Indetail this signal mechanism comprises anelectric circuit G having a battery G or other suitable source ofcurrent and a flash light or bulb H controlled by a switch H. Saidswitch has contact points H and H the latter being normally engaged bythe switch arm H and said arm being shifted to engage the former when itis desired to ascertain if there is mail in the box. The circuit isconnected through suitable wires I and I to an automatic switchmechanism J located in the chamber B 7 formed by the cover B and thecover-plate B.

For automatically operating the switch J, I preferably utilize theswinging movement of the inlet opening flap K so that when the e mail isinserted through the inlet opening K,- itwill close the circuit to thebulb H provided the switch arm H is engaged w1th contact H If any mailhas been inserted in the box through the opening K, the closing of theswitch H will complete the arcuit to the bulb H and flash a red light orother suitable signal. This switch and light mechanism could be placedin a living room, kitchen or any other part of the building and by theuse of my improved mechanism it can be determined at the point where theswitch H is located whether or not there is any mail. a

The employment of the inlet flap K is also utilized for actuating asignal which can be seen from the front of the mail-box so that a personreturning to his house can determine by looking at the mail-box whetheror not there is any mail in it without opening the box. This lastindicating mechanism comprises a plate L which is pivoted at L upon thecover B and actuated by a wire or cord connected to its link L and tothe edge of the inlet flap K. This plate carries a red signal L which isregistrable with a sight opening L in the mailbox cover. The arrangementis such that whenever the mail is inserted through the opening K theflap acting through the flexible connection L and link L will rock theplate L to a position where the red signal L will show through the sightopening L". From the lower end of the link L there extends a second wireor cord M which isconnected to a rock arm M. Normally this rock arm isdrawn outward through the slot M in the cover-plate B by the connectionof a spring M When the cover is shut the end of this rock arm M strikesagainst an abutment plate M and moves it back against the tension of thespring M Upon opening of the door to remove the mail, the rock arm Mwill be released and the action of the spring M will then force it awayfrom the eyelet M through which the wire M extends drawing the wire Mdownward and through the action of the link L rocking the plate carryingthe red signal L out of registration with the sight opening. Normallythe inlet flap K is heldclosed by a spring K From the above descriptionit will be apparent that normally the signal L is not shown but thatupon the insertion of any mail throu h the inlet opening K, theresulting rockin movement of the inlet flap K will swing the plate L toa position where said signal will show, and that the mechanism when onceadjusted to this position will be frictionally held from returning tonormal or inoperative position until the door is opened, allowing thespring M to rock the arm M and thus adjust the ,plate' L to shift saidsignal out of registration with the sight opening.

The same mechanism is also'utilized for closing the circuit to the bulbH. Thus when the plate L is rocked about its pivot L in a direction toregister the signal L? with the opening L its lower edge is moved intoengagement with the stationary contact N which is carried by the cover Bbut insulated therefrom and to which cover in turn there is grounded oneof the wires in the circuit G. Thus in effect the plate L and stationarycontact N form an automatic switch which is governed by the samemechanism as the red signal L The only other place where the circuit isopen is through the switch H. Therefore whenever the operator wishes todetermine whether or not there has been any mail inserted in the box A,he simply closes the switch H and if there is mail in the box thecircuit will be completed, flashing the signal bulb H. If, however, nomail has been inserted through the opening K, the light bulb H will notbe flashed as the circuit is open at the gap extending between thestationary contact N and the plate L when. the latter is in its normalposition. The circuit of the bulb H may be traced as follows": batteryG, wire G, switch arms-H, contact H wire H bulb H, wire I, contactN,plate L, ground to cover B at L and through speaking tube F, and wire 1y In addition to the signaling mechanism above described, the mail-boxis also preferably provided with a push button 0 by means of which thebell O" or other suitable device can beclosed irrespective of theinsertion of mail into the box. The bell or other signaling device 0uses the same battery and a portion of the same circuit as the signalinglight bulb H. The bell circuit may be traced as follows: battery G,"wireG, switch arm H,' contact H hell 0, wire I, ush button 0, wire O groundcircuit formed by cover B, box A' and tubeF, and

means of a coil spring R so that the mail-.

man can leave the stamps desired and secure the pay for the stamps byplacing his thumb over the coins until the necessary number areobtained.

Various changes, however, in this particular detail and in various otherdetails of construction and arrangements and combinations of parts canbe made within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

The combination with a mail-box, of a door therefor, a cover-plate forthe door and automatic signaling mechanism positioned in the chamberformed by the cover and cover-plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ERNEST HACK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

